A hotel on Ko Lanta island in Krabi province, Thailand, sparked discomfort and anger among Israeli tourists after displaying photos of the property decorated with Palestinian flags in its photo gallery on Booking.com.

Images shown on the Baan Pakgasri Hideaway hotel page feature Palestinian flags hanging in the hotel's outdoor area, above the guest relaxation zone. The gallery also shows a man photographed next to a flag emblazoned with a fist symbol and the text "Free Palestine," along with additional images in the same vein.

"We searched for a hotel on the island and saw these pictures on Booking, and decided to pass," one user shared. Questions also periodically arise from concerned users about whether it's advisable to visit the Ko Lanta and Krabi area, which are associated with a large Muslim population.

Ko Lanta island and the broader Krabi province area in Thailand are known as regions with a traditional Muslim population, unlike other Thai destinations such as Phuket and Bangkok, where the majority is Buddhist. The island, where most residents are Muslim, includes numerous mosques and offers halal menus for the local population and Muslim tourists. Against this backdrop, the decision to display public support for Palestinians at the local hotel reflects the cultural and religious identity of a significant portion of the island's residents.

A response from Booking will be provided when received.

The post Why did Thai resort use Palestinian flags for promotional content? appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A shooter opened fire inside a major shopping mall in the center of Thailand's capital Tuesday afternoon, killing three people before being apprehended, authorities said.

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Police said a suspect was apprehended less than an hour after the first reported gunshots at the Siam Paragon Mall, long been seen as one of Bangkok's biggest and most upscale shopping destinations.

Shir Yhav, a 26-year-old tourist from Israel, was shopping in Prada with her partner when she heard "six or seven shots" from another floor. They hid in a warehouse attached to the Prada store for around 90 minutes, "blocking" the door shut to stay safe, she added.

Unverified videos on social media showed scenes of chaos, with people, including children, running out of the doors of the mall while security guards ushered them out.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin expressed concern over the incident.

Video: Witness heard gunshots, saw people running as Bangkok mall shooting unfolded / Credit: Reuters

Police spokesman Archayon Kraithong told reporters the situation was under control at the mall, which sells high-end fashions and luxury cars, and includes a cinema, an aquarium, and the five-star Siam Kempinski Hotel.

Three people were killed and six were injured, according to Yutthana Sretthanan, director of Bangkok's Emergency Medical Center.

The incident happened days before Thais were planning to mark the anniversary of a grisly gun and knife attack at a rural daycare center in a northeastern province that killed 36 people, most of them preschoolers, on Oct. 6, 2022.

Tuesday's shooting prompted authorities to shut access to the nearby Siam elevated train stop, preventing commuters from exiting the transit station as the evening rush hour began and intense rain pounded the city, according to an Associated Press journalist at the scene.

First responders could be seen entering the mall as sirens wailed outside.

Witnesses said crowds of people left the building, one of several shopping centers in the area popular with tourists and well-heeled Thais alike.

Chinese tourist Liu Shiying told the AP that she saw people running and saying someone had opened fire. She said she heard gunshots and an alarm ringing, and that the lights in the mall went out.

"We're temporarily hiding. Who dares to go out?" she said while taking cover. She was later able to leave.

Multiple videos uploaded to social media showed people running out of the building and a person dressed in a baseball cap, dark shirt, and camouflage pants holding a handgun.

Video posted later showed what appeared to be the shooter surrendering to police.

Gun violence is not uncommon in Thailand, though mass shootings are rare.

In 2020, a disgruntled soldier opened fire in and around a mall in the northeastern city of Nakhon Ratchasima, killing 29 people and holding off security forces for some 16 hours before eventually being killed by them.

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On Thursday, El Al CEO Gonen Usishkin reached out to senior directors and asked them to present him with a plan for layoffs following the company's report that coronavirus would cost the airline some $70 million in revenue.

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Also on Thursday, El Al announced that it would be cancelling all flights to destinations in Italy and to Bangkok, Thailand, in addition to the halt in service to Japan, Beijing, and Hong Kong, which is in effect until May 2, 2020. The airline also announced that it would push back the inauguration of its new route to Tokyo to April 4, 2020.

El Al has faced mass cancellations of reservations to Italy and Thailand because of concerns about the virus. This week, the Health Ministry advised Israelis to avoid all travel abroad.

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